TLDR:
Consistency is key. Period. Consistently caring for yourself by doing the small things to keep your mind and body happy will pay huge dividends come race day.
Practical Tip:
Prepare your environment the night before your training session to eliminate any barriers to getting out the door. Lay out your clothes, shoes, fill your bottles, have your gels on the kitchen table, etc.
Consistency is Key.
If you’re like me at all you’ve probably heard this phrase all over your social feeds in the last few months. The algorithm figured out that you’re training for a race. Now it’s bombarding you with messages telling you to get out the door for your run. No. Matter. What.
I agree that consistency is probably the most important factor in endurance training. But it extends well beyond forcing yourself out the door and ignoring any potential signals your body might be sending. Being consistent across the board is what we’re striving for here. Get out for your scheduled run, yes, but also be sure to warm up properly, refuel after your workout, do your strength and mobility training, sleep plenty, and actually take your rest days.
Now you might be saying, “Evan, you just told me to do even MORE things!”. Well…yes, showing up each day for yourself over these next 6 weeks will pay off tremendously. But only IF that consistency is about consistently caring for yourself. Doing all the small things to keep your body happy, while taking some time away from training to keep your mind happy, will lead to a successful trip around Oakland on race day. And my guess is about 2 hours after you cross that finish line, you’ll be searching for your next race to train for.
What’s Next?
If you want more structure and guidance, consider hiring a running coach! At Team RunRun, we have a coach for every athlete. Check out the training page on the Oakland Marathon website for a selection of coaches who are here to help.
Evan Covell is a coach with Team RunRun based in Santa Barbara, California. He helps runners set and achieve their goals through personalized, science-based training and injury prevention (oh, and consistency!).
Evan Covell, Miles Bennett-Smith, and Jamie Spruiell have partnered with the Oakland Marathon helping runners train for their best race.